Prior art devices have been developed to control water in irrigation supply canals and in similar water channels. Such devices are required to manage water resources effectively.
An example of such a prior art device used to maintain a constant or predetermined water level in an irrigation ditch gate as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,296 (referred to as the LOPAC patent). The gate system taught in the LOPAC patent consists of two opposing, vertically hinged biased gate leaves which automatically open and close in response to a change in water pressure against the upstream surface of the gate leaves, thereby maintaining a constant upstream water level in the irrigation ditch.
One disadvantage of the system presented in the LOPAC patent is that it is difficult and time consuming to-fine-tune and place the springs necessary to bias the gate leaves to a desired position. This disadvantage is especially pronounced when the gate leaves need to be larger than one square meter to span an irrigation ditch.
A further disadvantage of the system disclosed in the LOPAC patent is that since the gate leaves are spring-actuated, the system is limited to controlling the upstream water level and does not, for example, respond to downstream conditions.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an irrigation gate system which does not require a great detail of fine tuning to achieve the desired flow through the irrigation gate system and is capable of responding to and being used to control more than upstream water levels.